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Chapter 1
Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Carbon Cycle | the series of processes that continuously move carbon among Earth systems |
Greenhouse Gases | gases in the atmosphere that absorb and reradiate thermal energy from the Sun |
Phosphorus Cycle | the series of processes that move phosphorus among Earth systems |
Luster | the way a mineral's surface reflects light |
Streak | the color of a mineral's powder |
Cleavage | the tendency of minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces |
Fracture | the tendency of minerals to break along irregular surfaces |
Crust | the thin outer layer of the geosphere |
Mantle | the thick rocky middle layer of the geosphere |
Lithosphere | the brittle outer layer of the crust and upper mantle |
Asthenosphere | the weak, partially melted layer of the mantle |